A blast of cold weather has given alligators in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina the opportunity to showcase their unique survival skills. The Swamp Park Outdoor Adventure Center captured eerie videos of alligators suspended in frozen ponds, with just the tips of their snouts visible above the ice. The videos, posted on social media, show Assistant Manager Scott Perry reaching out to boop one motionless alligator’s nose, cautioning viewers not to attempt this at home. The park houses 12 alligators that cannot be released back into the wild, often due to human feeding. It had been several years since the park last witnessed this phenomenon.
According to General Manager George Howard, these cold-blooded animals cannot regulate their body temperature, so when temperatures drop, they enter a state called brumation to survive. By sticking their noses out of the water, the alligators can continue to breathe while the surrounding water freezes. In one of the videos, Howard estimated that an alligator around 9 to 10 feet long had its entire body suspended under the frozen water. He described the scene as pretty fantastic. However, as temperatures rose in subsequent days, the alligators returned to their normal state.
Gator Country in Beaumont, Texas, also shared a video featuring an alligator with its snout protruding from the ice. In the video, the owner, Gary Saurage, explained that the alligator had pushed its snout through the ice to obtain oxygen and survive.
This impressive demonstration highlights the unique adaptations that alligators employ to withstand freezing temperatures. Despite the challenges posed by the cold, these creatures have found a way to thrive even in harsh weather conditions.
